Any state bank which has been granted the right to exercise
fiduciary powers and which desires to surrender such right shall file with the
Commissioner a certified copy of the resolution of its board of directors
signifying such desire. Upon receipt of such resolution, the Commissioner shall
make an investigation and if satisfied that the bank has been discharged from
all fiduciary duties which it has undertaken, shall issue a certificate to such
bank certifying that it is no longer authorized to exercise fiduciary
powers.
(b) Collective
investment of funds or other property by state banks under paragraph a of this
section (referred to in this paragraph as "collective investment funds") shall
be administered as follows:
(1) Each
collective investment fund shall be established and maintained in accordance
with a written plan (referred to herein as the Plan) which shall be approved by
a resolution of the bank's board of directors and filed with the Comptroller of
the Currency. The Plan shall contain appropriate provisions not inconsistent
with the rules and regulations of the Comptroller of the Currency and the State
Bank Department as to the manner in which the fund is to be operated, including
provisions relating to the investment powers and a general statement of the
investment policy of the bank with respect to the fund; the allocation of
income, profits and losses; the terms and conditions governing the admission or
withdrawal of participations in the fund; the auditing of accounts of the bank
with respect to the fund; the basis and method of valuing assets in the fund,
setting forth criteria for each type of asset; the minimum frequency for
valuation of assets of the fund; the period following each such valuation date
during which the valuation may be made (which period in usual circumstances
should not exceed 10 business days); the basis upon which the fund may be
terminated; and such other matters as may be necessary to define clearly the
rights of participants in the fund. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph
(b)(15) of this section of this regulation, fund assets shall be valued at
market value unless such value is not readily ascertainable, in which case a
fair value determined in good faith by the fund trustees may be used. A copy of
the Plan shall be available at the principal office of the bank for inspection
during all banking hours and upon request a copy of the Plan shall be furnished
to any person.
(2) Property held by
a bank in its capacity as trustee of retirement, pension, profit sharing, stock
bonus, or other trusts which are exempt from federal income taxation under any
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code may be invested in collective
investment funds established under the provisions of subparagraph (1) or (2) of
paragraph (a) of this section of this regulation, subject to the provisions
herein contained pertaining to such funds, and may qualify for tax exemption
pursuant to section 584 of the Internal Revenue Code. Assets of retirement,
pension, profit sharing, stock bonus, or other trusts which are exempt from
federal income taxation by reason of being described in Section 401 of the
Internal Revenue Code may be invested in collective investment funds
established under the provisions of subparagraph (2) of paragraph (a) of
section this of this regulation if the fund qualifies for tax exemption under
Revenue Ruling 81-100, and following rules.
(3) All participations in the collective
investment fund shall be on the basis of a proportionate interest in all of the
assets. In order to determine whether the investment of funds received or held
by a bank as fiduciary in a participation in a collective investment fund is
proper, the bank may consider the collective investment fund as a whole and
shall not, for example, be prohibited from making such investment because any
particular asset is non-income producing.
(4) Not less frequently than once during each
period of three (3) months, a bank administering a collective investment fund
shall determine the value of the assets in the fund as of the date set for the
valuation of assets. No participation shall be admitted to or withdrawn from
the fund except (i) on the basis of such valuation and (ii) as of such
valuation date. No participation shall be admitted to or withdrawn from the
fund unless a written request for or notice of intention of taking such action
shall have been entered on or before the valuation date in the fiduciary
records of the bank and approved in such manner as the board of directors shall
prescribe. No requests or notices may be canceled or countermanded after this
valuation date. If a fund described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section of this
regulation is to be invested in real estate or other assets which are not
readily marketable, the bank may require a prior notice period not to exceed
one (1) year, for withdrawals.
(5)
(A) A bank administering a collective
investment fund shall at least once during each period of twelve (12) months
cause an adequate audit to be made of the collective investment fund by
auditors responsible only to the board of directors of the bank. In the event
such audit is performed by independent public accountants, the reasonable
expenses of such audit may be charged to the collective investment
fund.
(B) A bank administering a
collective investment fund shall at least once during a period of twelve (12)
months prepare a financial report of the fund. This report, based upon the
above audit, shall contain a list of investments in the fund showing the cost
and current market value of each investment; a statement for the period since
the previous report showing purchases, with cost; sales, with profit or loss
and any other investment changes; income and disbursements; and an appropriate
notation as to any investments in default.
(C) The financial report may include a
description of the fund's value on previous dates, as well as its income and
disbursements during previous accounting periods. No predictions or
representations as to future results may be made. In addition, as to funds
described in subparagraph (1) of paragraph (a) of this section of this
regulation, neither the report nor any other publication of the bank shall make
reference to the performance of funds other than those administered by the
bank.
(D) A copy of the financial
report shall be furnished, or notice shall be given that a copy of such report
is available and will be furnished without charge upon request, to each person
to whom a regular periodic accounting would ordinarily be rendered with respect
to each participating account. A copy of such financial report may be furnished
to prospective customers. The cost of printing and distribution of these
reports shall be borne by the bank. In addition, a copy of the report shall be
furnished upon request to any person for a reasonable charge. The fact of the
availability of the report for any fund described in subparagraph (1) of
paragraph (a) of this section of this regulation may be given publicity solely
in connection with the promotion of the fiduciary services of the
bank.
(E) Except as herein
provided, the bank shall not advertise or publicize its collective investment
fund(s) described in subparagraph (1) of paragraph (a) of this section of this
regulation.
(6) When
participations are withdrawn from a collective investment fund, distributions
may be made in cash or ratably in kind, or partly in cash and partly in kind,
provided that all distributions as of any one valuation date shall be made on
the same basis.
(7) If for any
reason an investment is withdrawn in kind from a collective investment fund for
the benefit of all participants in the fund at the time of such withdrawal and
such investment is not distributed ratably in kind, it shall be segregated and
administered or realized upon for the benefit ratably of all participants in
the collective investment fund at the time of withdrawal.
(8)
(A) No
bank shall have any interest in a collective investment fund other than in its
fiduciary capacity. Except for temporary net cash overdrafts or as otherwise
specifically provided herein, it may not lend money to a fund, sell property
to, or purchase property from a fund. No assets of a collective investment fund
may be invested in stock or obligations, including time or savings deposits, of
the bank or any of its affiliates, provided that such deposits may be made of
funds awaiting investment or distribution. Subject to all other provisions of
this section, funds held by a bank as fiduciary for its own employees may be
invested in a collective investment fund. A bank may not make any loan on the
security of a participation in a fund. If because of a creditor relationship or
otherwise the bank acquires an interest in a participation in a fund, the
participation shall be withdrawn on the first date on which such withdrawal can
be effected. However, in no case shall an unsecured advance until the time of
the next valuation date to an account holding a participation be deemed to
constitute the acquisition of an interest by the bank.
(B) Any bank administering a collective
investment fund may purchase for its own account from such fund any defaulted
fixed income investment held by such fund, if in the judgment of the board of
directors the cost of segregation of such investment would be greater than the
difference between its market value and its principal amount plus interest and
penalty charges due. If the bank elects to so purchase such investment, it must
do so at its market value or at the sum of cost, accrued unpaid interest, and
penalty charges, whichever is greater.
(9) Except in the case of collective
investment funds described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section of this
regulation:
(A) No funds or other property
shall be invested in a participation in a collective investment fund if as a
result of such investment the participant would have an interest aggregating in
excess of ten percent (10%) of the then market value of the fund, provided that
in applying this limitation if two or more accounts are created by same person
or persons and as much as one-half (½) of the income or principal of
each account is payable or applicable to the use of the same person or persons,
such accounts shall be considered as one;
(B) No investment for a collective investment
fund shall be made in stocks, bonds or other obligations of any one person,
firm or corporation if as a result of such investment the total amount invested
in stocks, bonds, or other obligations issued or guaranteed by such person,
firm or corporation would aggregate in excess of ten percent (10%) of the then
market value of the fund, provided that this limitation shall not apply to
investments in direct obligations of the United States or other obligations
fully guaranteed by the United States as to principal and interest;
(C) A bank administering a collective
investment fund shall maintain, in cash and readily marketable investments,
such percentage of the assets of the fund as is necessary to provide adequately
for the liquidity needs of the fund and to prevent inequities among fund
participants.
(10) The
reasonable expenses incurred in servicing mortgages held by a collective
investment fund may be charged against the income account of the fund and paid
to servicing agents, including the bank administering the fund.
(11)
(A) A
bank may (but shall not be required to) transfer up to five percent (5%) of the
net income derived by a collective investment fund from mortgages held by such
fund during any regular accounting period to a reserve account, provided that
no such transfers shall be made which would cause the amount in such account to
exceed one percent (1%) of the outstanding principal amount of all mortgages
held in the fund. The amount of such reserve account, if established, shall be
deducted from the assets of the fund in determining the fair market value of
the fund for the purposes of admissions and withdrawals.
(B) At the end of each accounting period, all
interest payments which are due but unpaid with respect to mortgages in the
fund shall be charged against such reserve account to the extent available and
credited to income distributed to participants. In the event of subsequent
recovery of such interest payments by the fund, the reserve account shall be
credited with the amount so recovered.
(12) A state bank administering a collective
investment fund shall have the exclusive management thereof. The bank may
charge a fee for the management of the collective investment fund provided that
the fractional part of such fee proportionate to the interest of each
participant shall not, when added to any other compensations charged by a bank
to a participant, exceed the total amount of compensations which would have
been charged to said participant if no assets of said participant had been
invested in participations in the fund. The bank shall absorb the costs of
establishing or reorganizing a collective investment fund.
(13) No bank administering a collective
investment fund shall issue any certificate or other document evidencing a
direct or indirect interest in such fund in any form.
(14) No mistake made in good faith and in the
exercise of due care in connection with the administration of a collective
investment fund shall be deemed to be a violation of this part if promptly
after the discovery of the mistake the bank takes whatever action may be
practicable in the circumstances to remedy the mistake.
(15) Short-term investment funds established
under paragraph (a) of this section of this regulation may be operated on a
cost, rather than market value, basis for purposes of admissions and
withdrawals, if the plan of operation satisfies the following conditions:
(A) investments must be limited to bonds,
notes or other evidences of indebtedness which are payable on demand (including
variable amount notes) or which have a maturity date not exceeding ninety-one
(91) days from the date of purchase. However, twenty percent (20%) of the value
of the fund may be invested in longer term obligations;
(B) the difference between the cost and
anticipated principal receipt on maturity must be accrued on a straight-line
basis;
(C) assets of the fund must
be held until maturity under usual circumstances; and
(D) after effecting admissions and
withdrawals, not less than twenty percent (20%) of the value of the remaining
assets of the fund must be composed of cash, demand obligations and assets that
will mature on the fund's next business day.
(c) In addition to the investments permitted
under paragraph 1 of this regulation, funds or other property received or held
by a state bank as fiduciary may be invested collectively, to the extent not
prohibited by local law, as follows:
(1) In
shares of a mutual trust investment company, organized and operated pursuant to
a statute that specifically authorizes the organization of such companies
exclusively for the investment of funds held by corporate fiduciaries, commonly
referred to as a "bank fiduciary fund."
(2)
(A) In
a single real estate loan, a direct obligation of the United States, or an
obligation fully guaranteed by the United States, or in a single fixed amount
security, obligation or other property, either real, personal or mixed, of a
single issuer; or
(B) On a short
term basis in a variable amount note of a borrower of prime credit, provided
that such note shall be maintained by the bank on its premises and may be
utilized by it only for investment of moneys held in its trust department
accounts, provided further, that the bank owns no participation in the loans or
obligations authorized under (A) or (B) hereof, and has no interest in any
investment therein except in its capacity as fiduciary.
(3) In a common trust fund maintained by the
bank for the collective investment of cash balances received or held by a bank
in its capacity as trustee, executor, administrator, or guardian, which the
bank considers to be individually too small to be invested separately to
advantage. The total investment for such fund must not exceed one hundred
thousand dollars ($100,000); the number of participating accounts is limited to
one hundred (100), and no participating account may have an interest in the
fund in excess of ten thousand dollars ($10,000), provided that in applying
these limitations if two or more accounts are created by the same person or
persons and as much as one-half (½) of the income or principal of each
account is presently payable or applicable to the use of the same person or
persons such account shall be considered as one, and provided that no fund
shall be established or operated under this subparagraph for the purpose of
avoiding the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section of this
regulation.
(4) In any investment
specifically authorized by court order, or authorized by the instrument
creating the fiduciary relationship, in the case of trusts created by a
corporation, its subsidiaries and affiliates or by several individual settlors
who are closely related, provided that such investment is not made under this
subparagraph for the purpose of avoiding the provisions of paragraph (b) of
this section of this regulation.
(5) In such other manner as shall be approved
in writing by the State Bank Department.